The below information was sourced directly from the Australian Government: Department of Health and Aged Care. It will be updated as the DoHAC releases new information.
Changes to the Medicare Benefits Schedule items for chronic disease management have been deferred from 1 November 2024 until 1 July 2025. The additional time will support all practices and providers, including GPs and allied health providers, to be ready for the changes to these important services.
About the changes:
From 1 July 2025, Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) items will be changing to:
replace the current GP Management Plan and Team Care Arrangements with a single GP Chronic Condition Management Plan
support continuity of care by requiring patients registered for MyMedicare to access management plans through the practice where they are registered. Patients who aren’t registered will be able to access management plans through their usual GP
encourage management plan reviews by:
equalising the fees for developing and reviewing plans
requiring patients to have their plan established or reviewed in the last 18 months so they can retain access to allied health and other services
formalise referral processes for allied health services so they are more consistent with other referral arrangements
ensure patients do not lose access to their current services through transition arrangements for existing patients with GP Management Plans and Team Care Arrangements.
Why it is important:
The framework supports patients with one or more chronic conditions that would benefit from a structured approach to their care. It also provides access to allied health and other services for patients that would benefit from multidisciplinary team care to manage their chronic condition.
These changes were recommended by the MBS Review Taskforce. It is the first major change to the framework in almost 20 years. In that time, we have seen changes to:
the burden of chronic disease
patient expectations
technology to support communications between multidisciplinary care team members and their patients.
Goals:
The changes aim to:
simplify, streamline, and modernise the arrangements for health care professionals and patients
promote continuity of care
encourage the regular review of chronic condition management plans
support communications between a patient’s multidisciplinary care team
ensure existing patients can continue to access the care they need.